Proposal: Fees from legalizing marijuana could go to help schools

Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015

The Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol campaign is currently looking for signatures to put legalizing pot to a vote on the 2016 ballot.

The campaign says that taxes from marijuana would put $40 million into the state’s K-12 school system. The political director for the Regulate Marijuana campaign, Carlos Alfaro, said that an independent study found the total amount would most likely be closer to $75 Million.

Public information officer Charles Tack said Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas doesn’t support the initiative.

“It’s hypocritical to tell our children and to focus on teaching our children to stay away from drugs but then to be funding schools from money that comes from marijuana,” Tack said.

He added that the Department of Education is working on a series of proposals about various issues, including funding and will share those ideas with the public in early October.

Leaders of the campaign say they are confident in their ability to gather enough signatures by the deadline and are even comparing current laws on marijuana to Prohibition. “It’s just as ridiculous as banning alcohol, if not more. This is way to go, a legal market,” Alfaro said.

Signatures are due July 1. As of Aug. 5, the campaign claimed to have 50,105 current signatures.